Watchung Choose All Three

11/09/2022

Good morning, everyone.

We want to thank all of you who came out and voted yesterday for your support. Our team did not win, but our mission is still important and we need to keep fighting. The campaign for the referendum starts today. Let’s get to work!

11/08/2022

Get out and vote today! Make your voice heard.

11/07/2022

Why can’t we spend our $1M reserves on upgrading equipment?
Remember when we had a $400K mold remediation surprise a few years back? Our school equipment is failing and needs constant repair. Every year our operating budget increases to address these issues, and surprises happen often. Other schools have $10-12M in their reserve budgets. It would be irresponsible of us to spend our small reserves on upgrading equipment. Instead, we need to finance the upgrading costs, get NJ to pay 30% of that financing, stop playing whack-a-mole with our equipment repairs, and build up our reserves!

How did we get here?
Here’s what Rich B., our finance committee chair has to say about this:
1. The Board of Ed can ask for a 2% increase in taxes every year. This already poses a challenge because employee salaries and benefits are 70% of the budget and rise approx. 3% every year. Adding in other fixed costs, like utilities and rising transportation costs, we are running a deficit.
2. The previous BoE from 2009-2017 did not take the full 2% increase for that entire timeframe. This, more than anything else, has crippled us. If the BoE had take the full amount, our schools would have approx. $1.7M additional right now to spend.
3. Our district’s last bond was paid off in 2017. Normally, school districts hold a referendum and open a new bond after one has ended. We did not. Now, five years have passed without the support of state aid and financing to upgrade infrastructure. We are woefully behind.
4. The old bond costed residents $800/household annually. The new one, if passed, would cost $250-$300/household. NJ has offered to fund $5M of the debt. And every dollar increase in per pupil state aid increases property values by $20.

It’s time to invest in our schools.

11/07/2022

Watchung Township: 615 students / 2 schools,
Cost per pupil: $20,500
Long Hill Township: 844 students / 3 schools,
Cost per pupil: $20,400
Bernards Township: 4,800 students and 7 schools,
Cost per pupil, $20,300
These numbers are normal and appropriate operating budgets for school districts. The Bring Back Excellence team’s suggestion that this budget is too large, is not based on fact. The smallest cost per pupil that we found locally (from a quick search) is $18,000 in Berndards. Perhaps we can get to that point, but it won’t happen without utilizing all the cost saving initiatives available to us. The referendum is one of them, which the town will vote on December 13. Financing like this is used statewide to make major school improvements and redirect funds where they are most needed, toward teachers and students.
The three board candidates who are running for re-election this year joined the board three years ago and (in the case of McDonald) one year ago. They were sworn in right before the pandemic took hold and their term has been spent managing unprecedented needs during that time, and the disruption to our children’s education. This board is aware of the downward trend in our schools during the 2010s. That’s why we put a new administration in place, and they have been doing an incredible job through the pandemic and post-pandemic environment.
This is the first year we’ve seen state-wide test scores since the pandemic and there’s a lot more work to do. However, our iReady (individualized testing) results show a clear improvement in student testing since last year and that’s good news.
Look at the facts. Ask questions.
At the end of the day, investing in our schools is always the right choice.

11/07/2022

Remember to make your voice heard and vote on November 8th. Vote for Watchung Choose all Three - Joseph Barbella, Kevin McDonald, Jennifer Scharf, and Danielle Amedeo (write-in). A team that works smart, has experience, is dedicated to ALL children, and comes to the table with solutions.

11/04/2022

The current Board of Ed's finance committee chair explains why our district budget is a concern and why the referendum is a necessity to resolve this issue.

11/02/2022

And let’s make one more point about state funding. NJ taxpayers support school funding projects all over the state, but Watchung does not benefit. Right now, Watchung residents pay for 100% of any maintenance, and as our 30 year-old infrastructure fails, we will continue to cover those repairs unless we ask the state to help. Passing a referendum will secure 30% of the funds from the state so Watchung gets it fair share from Trenton.

11/02/2022

Here’s one really important improvement that would only be achieved with a referendum. $2M toward better security so we can protect our kids, prevent violence from outside, and monitor / address potential activity as it’s happening.

11/02/2022

Watchung deserves great schools that prepare our students for the high-tech environnement in which they’ll be living. Our opposition wants to use our reserves (which must be shored up) to maintain the infrastructure we have and make no improvements.

10/30/2022

10/30/2022

We’re at the circle (20 Stirling) having a lovely drink and chatting with residents. Join us! We’ll be here until 4pm.